Awkward or Worse: When Partners Sue Their Firms and Stay on Board
Attorneys bringing suit face personal and professional repercussions—not to mention an uncomfortable workplace—but nonetheless feel litigation has a purpose.
August 28, 2018 at 02:53 PM
5 minute read
Most Big Law partners would probably hesitate to file a lawsuit or pursue a dispute in arbitration against their firms. After all, it's likely to present that lawyer with in an unenviable choice: continuing to work alongside fellow partners as the legal claim remains active, or attempting to move elsewhere with the hope that the suit doesn't stain future job prospects.
For those reasons and others, litigating a dispute against one's employer is typically considered a last resort, said Anne Golden, a now-retired name partner at Outten & Golden who specialized in representing executives and other individuals in employment disputes.
“Litigation is a very destructive process,” Golden said, adding that the process is often “more destructive to the employee” than the employer. “The employee has the burden of proof, and if the employee goes public, they'll never work again in many cases.”
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